Hamat Gader – Hot Springs with added Attractions – Visitors Guide
At Hamat Gader, you can find hot springs, a crocodile farm, an archeological site, fishing ponds, a hotel, restaurants, and more.
Map
Hamat Gader is located on the Golan, near the Sea of Galilee by the Jordan border.
Directions for drivers: Link to Waze and Link to Google Maps
Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
Hamat Gader valley is 150 meters below sea level and surrounded by the Yarmuk River. It is also part of the Syrian-African rift. And the area’s unique geological structure and volcanic history produced the conditions that created hot mineral springs. Six hundred cubic meters of water rise each hour from artesian wells at a depth of more than 2000 meters.
There is free parking (which appears at the bottom of the map) near Hamat Gader. The entrance is marked with the gate and the tickets. To the left of the entry, there are primarily animal-related attractions. And to the right, you can find the hot springs.
What can be found on-site?
Besides the hot springs, you can find a spa, restaurants, cafes, archeological excavations, fishing ponds, various accommodations, and animal-related attractions.
Opening Hours
Monday – Thursday, and Saturday: 9:00 – 17:00
Friday: 09:00 – 21:00
Sunday: closed
Note: opening hours change according to season. Therefore recheck the official site before your planned visit.
Opening Hours of Attractions During The Summer Season
The animal corner: every day from 10:00 until 14:30, including Saturdays
Parrot Show: every day at 13:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays, there is an additional show at 15:00
Feeding crocodiles: Monday – Thursday at 13:30
Fishing ponds: open only on Saturdays from 10:30 until 16:00
Children’s playground: Sunday to Saturday, according to the park’s opening hours
The Splash – Regular Pool
Sunday to Wednesday: 10:30 – 17:00
Thursday – Saturday: 10:00 – 19:00
The Frying Pan Restaurant
Open Monday – Saturday between 12:00 and 15:30
Closed on Sundays.
Food stalls
Sunday to Wednesday: open until 17:00 and until 21:30 during the weekends.
Update: The Frying Pan Restaurant and Lake Grill are closed.
Entrance Fee
You can purchase tickets either on-site or on the official website. The price depends on the package and the date. Here is what they currently offer on the official website:
Entrance in the middle of the week (Monday – Wednesday):
- Regular price: 102.60 NIS
- Price for senior citizens: 81 NIS
- Access to Spa Village: 239 NIS
Entrance during weekends (Thursday – Saturday) and holidays:
- Regular price: 112.10 NIS
- Price for senior citizens: 89 NIS
- Access to Spa Village: 269 NIS
Note: the prices above already include a 5% discount, and if you purchase tickets upon arrival, they will be more expensive.
Coupons
We were looking for regular entrance tickets (without a meal and a massage) during the weekend. The total price was 102 NIS per person. When you multiply it by the whole family, it turns into an expensive attraction. So I checked for coupons online and found the following ones.
- Many Israeli credit card companies offer discounts. For example:
- Cuponofesh offers discounts of up to 16%.
- Rami Levi club offers discounted tickets (deals up to 50%).
Coupon availability changes over time. Thus if you want to save, look for coupons online before your visit.
Also, I want to mention that there are picnic tables on-site, and we brought food from home. Furthermore, you can not light a fire on site.
Note: opening hours and entrance prices can be changed. Therefore recheck the official site before your planned visit.
When to Visit Hamat Gader?
Every season has its upsides and downsides. We visited Hamat Gader during the winter. One of winter’s advantages is the cooler weather (20C outside, and the water at the hot springs is 42C all year round). But it is not the only one. Fewer people will be in winter, and you will likely find coupons online. The disadvantage of a winter visit is that some attractions will be closed (see below).
Thus, consider visiting during the winter if your primary purpose is the hot springs. On the other hand, if you are visiting with kids and want to visit water world, you will probably have to visit during the summer. Moreover, keep in mind the day of the week. During the weekends, entrance tickets are more expensive, and more people will be on site. Thus, I would suggest sticking to weekdays.
Restaurants
The Frying Pan
An oriental Israeli grill restaurant, offering a large selection of dishes especially loved by the Israeli diner, including the young diner. In the restaurant, you will find a variety of fish dishes, high-quality meats, stews, salads, and surprising children’s dishes.
The restaurant is kosher under the supervision of the rabbinate.
Opening hours: 12:00 – 14:30.
Note: unless stated otherwise, all quotes were taken from the official site.
Bluber
The Hamat Gader boutique hotel, which serves a selection of fine dairy dishes, includes fresh and special ingredients: breakfasts, toasts and sandwiches, salads, fresh fish, Italian cuisine and more. The restaurant serves breakfast from 8-11 and dinner from 19-22. Lunch can also be ordered in advance. The restaurant serves hotel and spa guests.
Lake Grill
Next to the swimming pools is the Lake Grill, an open meat buffet seven days a week, offering a selection of grilled meats on a plate or pita: sausages, shawarma, chicken breast, hamburgers, chips, salads, soft drinks, and more. For the convenience of diners, there is an open seating area overlooking the pools.
Opening Hours: Please check at the ticket office on the visiting day.
Lake Coffee Shop
Beneath the meat restaurant, you can find Lake Coffee Shop – a dairy buffet open seven days a week, offering delicious and fresh treats: coffee and baked goods, pizzas, sweet and savory pastries, juices, ice cream, snacks, dairy dishes, and hot/cold drinks.
Opening hours: Sundays to Saturdays from 8:30 am until the park closes.
As I mentioned above, we brought food and had a picnic. The reason is that I do not like to be pushed into such deals. I do not know how good the food is there. But my experience from other attractions in Israel and around the world shows that usually, the food is expensive and not that tasty. In other words, you do not get value for money. Thus, I prefer to visit the attractions I like and dine in my selected places.
Accommodations
You have several options if you want to stay at Hamat Gader for a night. You can either camp or stay at the Spa Village Hotel.
Camping
There are several camping options available. You can stay in a white air-conditioned tent or smaller igloo camping tents, and there are also guest rooms.
Spa Village Hotel
Spa Village – Boutique Hotel and Spa in the Golan Heights, at the heart of Hamat Gader Resort, allows you to enjoy the quiet surrounding and enjoy the best of all worlds: Romantic setting, a broad range of pampering services, maximal comfort, and if you wish – a great place to conduct business.
A selection of advanced treatments and Spa packages in the North, at your service at Hamat Gader Resort. Come and take some time off the hassle, charge your body with renewed energy, and return home fresh and invigorated.
Etymology
The ancient Hebrew name means hot springs of (the ancient city of) Gadara. The latter is above the springs, in modern Umm Qais. The Arabic name El-Hamma preserves this, and the name of the tel located near the site, Tel Bani, is a corruption of the Latin word meaning “baths”.
History
Hamat Gader was already a widely known health and recreation site in Roman times. It is mentioned in Strabo, Origen, and Eunapius and the Rabbinic literature of the first century CE.
Construction of the bath complex began in the 2nd century by the 10th Roman Legion, which was garrisoned in the city of Gadara. Two distinct construction periods are evident at the site: The Roman-Byzantine Period, during which most of the bath complex was built, and the Muslim period, during which major changes were made to the existing structures.
The site includes a Roman theatre built in the 3rd century CE and contained 2,000 seats. A large synagogue was built in the 5th century CE.
Some buildings were damaged by an earthquake and restored in 633 by the Umayyad caliph who ruled from Damascus. A century later, the 749 Galilee earthquake hit. Eventually, in the 9th century, the baths were abandoned, and a thick layer of silt covered the ruins.
Note: the two quotes above were taken from Wikipedia.
Animal World
Note: the animal world was closed, and only crocodiles remained.
If you have followed my blog for a while, you probably know that I love animals. And since the springs are not going anywhere, I decided to start with a visit to the animal world.
Note: if you want additional info about animals and wildlife, check out Zoos and Aquariums in Israel.
Hamat Gader is known for its crocodile farm, but as it turns out, there are other animals as well. When I entered the animal world, I saw several baboons.
And then I met Monica: